Lighting the Fire
by Praeludium
Summary: As if dealing with his own feelings isn't hard enough, even more problems come Prince Hugo's way.
1. Part I

**AN:** I had a bit of time so I decided to write the idea I had lingering for a while. This is the short, stand-alone, three-part sequel to my other other fic, Melting the Ice—it shouldn't matter whether you've read it or not, I don't think you're going to miss out on anything. I hope you would enjoy this. The next two updates should come, along with the full-length Fantasy/Adventure fic I've been planning, once the semester ends.

* * *

Hugo reclined on his favorite couch, bringing a newly torn-open letter in front of his face. It was an invitation to Sofia's 18th birthday. "Come to think of it," he thought as he wondered how his friend was doing, "It's been a while since I've seen Sofia."

Sofia and Hugo had attended the same school when they were younger. In fact, they became very close friends in the handful of years they had been schoolmates. They had often used to stay an hour or two longer after school to do ice dancing practice, or compete with each other in friendly flying derby matches; more frequently so was the former. They were a pretty popular pair as far as school ice dancing duos go—their fame well deserved, winning medals and honor for the school. Eventually, those extra after-school hours was relieved of its exclusivity to their extra curricular training; they would sometimes hang out, just enjoying each other's company. But, they had not always been close; in fact, their friendship got off from a severely rocky start.

Hugo had been a bit of bully. He picked on the "new kid" who was, at the time, Sofia. He hadn't been very welcoming when she tried out for Derby; even knocking Sofia off her horse in a race. Hugo closed his eyes for a moment to cringe at the memory—had he really been that mean to her, he thought. That of course, changed over time; that girl had a serious need of getting along with everyone. No matter what he did, she wouldn't lower her level of courtesy and nicety in dealing with him—she treated him practically like a friend. That's one of the things he liked best about her, Hugo blushed as he continued reminiscing.

Oh, and they were royalty. The school they attended, Royal Prep, was specifically for high nobility. Prince and princesses, barons and baronesses—those were the kind of students Royal Prep handled. Royalty, is certainly not just luxury and comfort; it is also at times high pressure, stressful, and always busy. Which is why, after graduating, contact between Hugo and Sofia gradually diminished to a greeting card every so or so special occasion.

Years ago, the thought that he and Sofia might drift apart after graduating wouldn't have even crossed his mind. Back then, it was unthinkable; after all, he had a huge crush on her, even confessing it to her at one point. Which he already outgrew—Hugo added in his thoughts as he shot back up to a postured seating position, apparently done with eating up all the nostalgia. He decided that he was going to see her on her birthday. There was no way he would miss it—he already had the perfect gift in mind.

"Brigham, clear my schedule for the Saturday after the next," he called as he stood up and entered his closet, looking around for the best suit he could find, "Oh, and bring me the Royal couturier."

oOo

Prince Hugo wasn't the most patient of people. When he set his mind on something, he could not possibly wait to do it. Every night since had it ready, he would fiddle with the gift-wrapped box intended for Sofia, tearing the wrap and wrapping it again himself. He sent confirmation of his attendance twice, that if the first one didn't make it to Sofia, the second one definitely will. His jitters grew as the event drew nearer, so much so that his brother, Prince Axel, made it his nightly amusement to secretly watch Hugo's obviously excitement-borne antics.

"The day you've been waiting for, Baby Bro," said Axel as he patted his brother's back while his brother entered the carriage, "Go get her."

Hugo made a conscious effort not to get flustered, not knowing that him doing so made it all the more entertaining for Axel. He was a grown man. His brother's teasing shouldn't have an effect. "It's just a friendly visit."

"Aww, really? And here I thought you were eyeing your childhood sweetheart."

"In case you don't remember, we were never a thing."

"Is that bitterness I hear?" Axel joked.

"Hardly," Hugo ended the banter as he closed the carriage door shut and signalled the coachman. He opened a thick novel to keep him sane during the hours of the trip where he had no one inside the carriage as company.

Despite possibly being the guest that looked forward to her birthday the most, he had only read the invitation once. He tunnel visioned on how the night would be, how great it would be to reconnect with old friends. Details escaped the overly-eager Prince.

"Prince Hugo, here to attend Princess Sofia's birthday," he said to Baileywick, the head butler, who came to see who the unannounced guest was.

James, Sofia's brother, coincidentally encountered them on his way back inside the castle after having playing with his pets Rex and Freedo on the castle's garden. "Hugo?"

"James! It's so good to see you. How long has it been?" called Hugo as he approached James, waving.

"What are you doing here? You have business with Dad?"

"Huh? No, I'm here for Sofia's party," said Hugo as he thrusted the invitation just short of James' eyes.

"Check the date, buddy, it's not until two days."

Hugo stepped back, confused, then proceeded to scan through the letter again. James was right. He was sure he told his butler the right date. He thought back to a few hours earlier recalling everything that transpired that morning.

" _Sir, you have an appointment; the carriage is prepped to leave whenever you're ready," said Brigham._

" _Great! I'll be off to Enchancia then. Thanks, Brigham."_

" _Sir, I think you misunderstood-Sir, Sir!" Brigham shouted as he chased Hugo._

So that was why Brigham was so insistent that he not go to Enchancia, Hugo mentally slapped himself for his late epiphany.

"It's okay. I'm not one to judge. A lot of people have trouble remembering birthdays. It's the thought that counts, anyways."

"I remember her birthday, alright?" Hugo defended, "I just got today's date wrong."

"Sure, Hugo," James winked and gave Hugo a playful elbow, "Just make sure Sofia doesn't find out you forgot her birthday."

Hugo sighed and nodded, not wanting to expend the energy to correct James.

"Hey, Hugo. You coming? You're just in time for dinner," invited James, stopping a step inside the castle.

oOo

Enchancia's castle stayed about the same for Hugo. Might be some redecorating here and there on the main halls, but essentially just as he remembered it when he had last visited. He and James caught up with each other on the way to the dining room. Truth be told, the walk shouldn't have taken over 5 minutes, but their chatting slowed their walking just enough to make it 20 minutes. James is apparently taking up higher education under Enchancia's royal scientists and alchemists, Hugo learned. "Majoring in what makes things that go boom"—James described it. It was a genuinely engaging conversation, Hugo admitted to himself; although, it was not engaging enough to keep Hugo's attention on it when Sofia appeared.

"There you are! Where have you been, you're the only one we're waitin—Hugo?" Sofia stopped.

"H-hi," Hugo squeaked, as if he was still going through puberty at 20 and still getting used to his changing voice; which made Sofia giggle.

"Well, I'm hungry," said James, excusing himself, "I'll go ahead of you guys then."

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. She wore her hair tied up in a messy bun. Her hair was noticeably a bit longer, though not by much, he noted; but her usual bangs were still there. There was no surprise about that, he always thought it suited her perfectly; there wasn't any reason to change it. She still liked wearing purple dresses and that amulet too. "You look beautiful." He said that out loud. Hugo held back his reflex and tried to stay calm, playing it smooth as if he intended to say it all along.

Sofia was never used to receiving a random compliment from Hugo; was there even a time he gave one besides now? "Uhm, thank you!" She smiled, sincerely.

The both of them did not know how to handle the sudden reunion. It was too long ago since they consciously started conversation with each other. It usually just happened back when they were still at school—and it would often last longer than their schedule allowed without any effort on their part. Should he hug her, thought Hugo. Years ago it would have been natural, he thought. He waited, thinking it would be better if he just matched the level of intimacy she would initiate. Sofia wasn't so sure either. It had been so long; maybe a wave? No, it would have been weird waving to someone close enough in front of her for all practical purposes. In the end, they settled for a handshake—one that kind of awkwardly lingered, causing them to step back and laugh mutually.

King Roland, who had apparently been watching, coughed to make his presence known. "Time to eat. Care to join us, Hugo?"

"Chef Carey baked lobster today, I remember you mentioning you loved seafood. Come on," said Sofia as she casually wrapped a hand around one of Hugo's arms, causing quite a few hearts to skip a beat; one of which for a different reason.

oOo

Thought having dinner at a friend's place while her parents are home is uncomfortable? Try doing so practically uninvited—and not just any friend's place, try one that you haven't seen for a while. Suffice to say, Hugo had to hold his tongue, taking care not to say anything that could be interpreted badly.

"How does that even happen?" asked Amber.

"Could be that he was just excited," said James, chomping on his meal.

"You mean _too_ excited. No one comes to a party two days early," Amber commented.

Hugo couldn't find an excuse; he just fought the blood rushing to his face and conceded.

Their dinner conversation revolved more around his silliness on his untimely arrival in the beginning. For the most part, though, they talked about how life has been recently. Honestly, Hugo thought it would be more of a calculated diplomatic session, at least between Sofia's parents and he. He was relieved that it wasn't the case. To Roland and Queen Miranda's eyes, it seemed that they were still the kids they used to be. Surprising, actually, since his own father stopped doing so the moment he graduated Royal Prep. "You have to get used to this. You're a grown man now. You need to starting acting more like a Prince, like your brother," his father used to say whenever he felt he had been too hard on Hugo. Sounds good on paper, but unfortunately, the his father had a rather high bar of what is "too hard." He was, in a way, thankful for that, though. He believed he had grown tougher and more becoming of royalty. He just found it refreshing that the King and Queen of Enchancia still poked fun at and had fun with their kids like doting parents, even at their children's ages. Hugo couldn't help but smile at the thought. King Roland looked strangely unnerved for instances at seemingly random parts of the conversation, though, Hugo noted.

"You trained in sketching and painting, you say. How delightful!" Miranda remarked.

"I'd love to see some of your paintings," added Sofia enthusiastically.

"I didn't bring any, but if you'd like; you could model for me, and I could paint you," he said proudly until he realized how it could be taken the wrong way.

They heard a clang that caused an echo to fill the room. The dining room had a high ceiling and great acoustics, making the clang more distinct than it should have been, momentarily tearing a silence in the room.

"Sorry," King Roland laughed nervously, "Dropped my knife."

"You really can be so clumsy at times, Daddy."

King Roland cleared his throat and tried to think of a way to change topics, even edging for Miranda do so too. Miranda wanted to ask something, anyways, so she obliged. She had in mind another matter of importance that they have yet to address: it was late. Of course, they couldn't send Prince Hugo off at such a late hour; even more so since his was a lengthy trip back home. Sofia's birthday was also only in two days; should Prince Hugo go back home tomorrow only to return the day after, he would only be staying at home for a few hours at best before needing to take off again to get to the gala in time. Miranda decided that it would be best that Hugo just stay in Enchancia until Sofia's birthday.

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Nonsense! It's fine. Isn't that right, Rolly?"

"S-sure. You're very welcome in our castle. You could stay in the guest room on the opposite wing," said Roland, to which Miranda gave a questioning look. "I-I mean, it's one of our best." While not really his main reason, it was also not a lie. It was one of the more spacious guest rooms in the castle.

Hugo knew it would have been rude to reject the generous offer given that the hosts were very willing and insistent, thus he indulged. He excused himself after dinner to tie up the loose ends that the change of plans brought about—he called for his coachman.

"Go back home and tell Brigham to clear my schedule for the rest of the week. Come back two days from now."

"B-but, Sir, that's my only day-off for the month," the coachman stuttered.

Hugo sighed and massaged his nose bridge, "You're new aren't you? Tell someone else to come, then."

oOo

Prince Hugo has already settled in the guest room. King Roland was definitely not exaggerating when he said this was one of the best guest rooms, Hugo thought. The bed and cushions were admittedly softer than those in his own room. What impressed him the most, though, was the bathroom. Hugo wasn't the type to hog the bathroom; he never stayed longer than he should when taking a bath—that was until he took a bath in this one. They lent him a set of James' sleepwear and hung a suit in the closet for the next morning. The suit should be the right size as the sleepwear was a near-perfect fit for him.

Despite being more than content with the quality of the guest room, Hugo found himself not being able to sleep. He squinted in the direction of the wall-clock, making out hands that seemed to form a 10:30. He got up and paced the room, hoping that it would somehow summon an urge to sleep. Hugo moved the curtains of the single, large, bay window in the room to the either side, revealing a breathtaking view of the moon and stars. What caught Hugo's eyes though wasn't what was in the sky but rather what was on the ground—there was a part of the castle grounds within his view, at a distance, that seemed to be in a perpetual winter.

Hugo loved ice dancing; but, after graduating Royal Prep, he found less and less incentive to do so, even while having his own rink at home. Ice dancing was less fun without an audience, which he used to have. Most of all, it was not all that fun at all without his partner. Of all the times he was skating on ice, he could only remember those he had spent with a partner, which was possibly 99% of the time he had been skating. And, arguably, the only partner he has ever had was Sofia.

He put on his shoes and a coat, and went outside. His pace quickened after finding out from a castle servant he passed by that where he was headed was where there was a huge, enchantedly frozen lake. King Roland apparently had it build when Sofia and Hugo got their first medal together. It was a shame that they didn't have any ice dancing shoes in handy; Hugo would have loved to try skating again after not having done so in ages. He wondered if he would even remember how to do some of those tricks he used to put hours and hours of practice into.

Going past the foliage just around where the lake supposedly was, Hugo found that he wasn't the only one who had thought of going to the ice. Sofia looked effortless gliding around the ice, randomly twirling and spinning whenever she felt like it. No matter how sharp her turn, her skates barely made any sound against the ice. She had no doubt spent countless of hours on the ice even after graduation—she was better than both of them had ever been, combined, Hugo thought.

Sofia jumped up high, without any trace of the hesitation or uncertainty she used to have when jumping large heights on the ice. She rose up high enough that her tiara seemed to touch the edge of the moon. The magic in the ice dancing shoes enabled her to stay in the air long enough that she was able to spin possibly dozens of times under the moonlight before floating back down.

"I see you've been practicing," commented Hugo as he walked towards her.

Sofia jerked her head to Hugo's direction, a bit surprised that she wasn't alone. "Oh, hey, Hugo," she replied, skating towards him the moment she realized who he was, "Yep. Skate every night." She said triumphantly.

"That was beautiful; came up with that routine yourself?"

Sofia shrugged with an embarrassed smile on her face.

"Then I'm sure that you'll love the present I got you," Hugo said confidently.

"Really? What is it?"

"Can't tell. You just have to find out for yourself when I finally give it to you," he teased, getting a feigned pout from Sofia as a reply."

"Well, aren't you cute. You know better than anyone that that doesn't work on me," said Hugo, playfully sticking his tongue out.

Sofia stuck her tongue out too in retort.

"I missed you," she said.

"Yeah."

They embraced each other tightly, with Sofia still on the ice and Hugo near the edge of the lake, and with Sofia's face buried on Hugo's chest. Hugo was relieved that despite not being able to hang out, they still remained as close as they had been.

"Princess, it's getting late," called Baileywick. Sofia always had him remind her to keep her nighttime skating to an hour. "Oh, sorry, was I interrupting something?"

Hugo and Sofia hurriedly pushed each other away, flustered. "No, no. I was—uhm—I'll be out in a bit. Thanks, Baileywick."

"He won't get the wrong idea, would he?" asked Hugo.

"Wrong idea about what?"

"You know, about us?"

"Why? What could he possibly have misunderstood?" asked Sofia with some sense of uncertainty about her, as if she was expecting, or more accurately, hoping, for a specific answer she had in mind.

Hugo swallowed, trying to rid himself of the block he seemed to have in his throat that was preventing him from speaking.

"Never mind. I must be getting sleepy," she nervously laughed, "Goodnight, Hugo." Sofia pulled her hood up, attempting, but failing, to hide the abashed look and color she had on her face. Not waiting for a reply, she jogged away, back to the castle.

Hugo took his time processing the rollercoaster of emotions Sofia had managed to make him go through in the last few seconds. Voluntarily allowing his legs to give in, he fell seated on the ice. He covered his face with both hands, mulling over what he thought was something he got over long ago. He still really liked Sofia—he would even go as far as to say he might be in love with her. The image of her twirling up in the air with the lights of the night shimmering alongside her. She was the most beautiful person, both on the inside and on the outside, he knew; and, he thought, though it might sound a tad self-absorbed, that maybe, she might be in love with him too.

oOo

Hugo slept in the next morning. It was only natural since it was only until the early hours of the morning that he had been able to finally sleep. Try as he may, that night, he couldn't have himself lay still. He thought out probably thousands of scenarios, going through every pro and con, every possible blunder that might occur, should he confess to Sofia on her birthday the next day.

He got up groggily, noticing that it was already past noon; he bathed and dragged himself to the main complex where the grand dining hall was. The King and Queen were apparently out, and the three siblings were elsewhere on the castle grounds, having already eaten their lunch. They had decided not to disturb his sleep, thinking that he was heavily fatigued from the travel. He was left, then, to eat alone—a circumstance he was thankful for as he was not yet in a state to meet Sofia.

After mentally preparing himself over lunch, he went looking for Sofia, a pursuit which lead him to the gardens.

"Mornin', Sleepyhead," greeted James.

"Someone has a _lot_ of time."

"Slow month. There's not really much to do for any of us; and my mentor is on vacation—so…" James shrugged.

"Lucky."

"You looking for Sofia?" asked James, catching on to why Hugo has been looking around the whole time.

"Y-yeah, have you seen her?"

"Sure have," said James tilting his head to a direction, asking Hugo to follow him. James lead them to a tall wall of hedge with a single, small wooden gate. "She loves hanging out in this part of the garden," said James as he opened the gate.

Hugo saw Sofia at a distance; she was laughing. He raised his hand and prepared to shout out but stopped short. It seemed that he wasn't the only guest in the castle.

"Who's he?" Hugo asked, staring daggers at the man who was pouring tea for Sofia. He was getting too close and his hand looked too comfortable on her shoulder.

"Oh, that's Connor, he comes every now and then," said James, yawning. "It looks like he's hitting on Sofia again."

"Again?" asked Hugo, the boiling in the pit of his stomach getting worse, "You mean this isn't the first time?"

"The guy has it bad for Sofia since he met her. He barely pays much attention to me and Amber when Sofia's in the same room. You can see why Amber doesn't like him very much."

"And you just let him flirt with her? He's not her b-boyfriend, is he?"

"No, he isn't, not yet at least. Sofia doesn't look like she minds. The way I see it, he's good company—to her at least. He always seems to have a joke or sometimes even a gift for her up his sleeves," said James, only to find that Hugo was already halfway to where Sofia was.

"Hey, Sofia," greeted Hugo. He gave in to his impulses. He _had needed_ to join them. He couldn't stand the two of them being alone together. He hasn't even been introduced to the guy but he already disliked Connor. He felt that Connor was disgustingly all touchy-feely with Sofia. If Connor wasn't Sofia's boyfriend, then he's just another competitor, and Hugo was not going to lose without trying.

"Hi, Hugo," said Sofia, standing up.

Hugo wanted nothing more than to just hug Sofia as they had last night, just to show Connor how farther ahead he was, but Hugo knew it wasn't the time nor place to do so. He would just embarrass both Sofia and himself.

"You must be Hugo, the one who arrived two days ahead of time. Princess Sofia told me about you. I found it a hilarious story. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lord Connor, baron of the northern lands."

Hugo straightened his back and stuck his chest out, "A baron, eh?"

"Yes, I am most blessed to have nearly the whole region north of Enchancia under me," said Connor offering his hand for a shake.

" _Prince_ Hugo of Rotschfort. A pleasure," replied Hugo, putting unnecessary weight and emphasis on his title, _Prince_. He firmly took Connor's hand and briefly shook it.

"Well, I really do have to be going," said Connor truthfully. "Farewell. Prince Hugo, Princess Sofia, my darling." He put his cheek against Sofia's and kissed it. "I have no doubt that we shall all see each other again tomorrow, yes?"

Hugo unconsciously glared behind Connor as he left, and spoke only when he had already gone. "My darling?" Hugo raised a brow.

"It's just how he speaks. He's nice."

"I'm _sure_ he is," replied Hugo, a bit irritated—she genuinely enjoys his company.


	2. Part II

**AN:** Posting took longer than promised, sorry. I had to rewrite the plot—it seems this won't be a three-parter anymore. I hope this chapter would be worth the waiting for those who did.

* * *

Despite having been staying in the castle, Hugo found himself unable to be in the company of Sofia. While Connor did finally leave later in the afternoon, to which Hugo could not be more relieved by when it had happened, Sofia had some other engagements scheduled—concerning her bracelet it seemed, as she had been clutching it as she had hurriedly left. This lead Hugo to think of Connor even more bitterly than he had already did—the Baron had consumed all the free time Sofia had, time that she and Hugo could have had spent together. While he had not seen most of it firsthand, the little of the courtship Hugo had seen was enough to leave him nauseated. "You mean to tell me that they've been like that all morning?" Hugo remembered asking James.

Hugo was letting off steam skating that night. He hoped to see Sofia, since she did say that she skated every night. His odds were great that he could spend just a little bit of time with her, and maybe even get to be the first one to greet her Happy Birthday. He skated long into the late hours, growing more restless with every second and every thought of his former skating partner.

Disappointment unfortunately hits harder when filled with expectation and hope. Hugo's pocket watch already struck 12am, and no princess was to be found. It didn't help that the answer he got from a group of servants on his way to the guest room was, "Princess Sofia? I wasn't aware that she had left. Wasn't she in the castle all day," when he had asked if Sofia had already returned. Like rubbing salt on his "wound" unknowingly, they also assured him that it was a common occurrence that Sofia would go missing from time to time. They say it's just because the castle grounds are so large; everyone had already grown accustomed to it. It wasn't possible that Sofia would have left without any one person in the castle knowing. The guards would have surely seen her leave.

It just wasn't his day, Hugo thought. He hated going to sleep on a foul mood, but there was no helping it, there's a big day ahead of him—he wasn't going to let lack of sleep limit him from celebrating Sofia's day.

oOo

"Princess, it's already past midnight," Baileywick lightly reprimanded Sofia as he had caught her on her way to the frozen lake, "You didn't even come for dinner."

"Baileywick!" exclaimed Sofia in surprise. "What are you doing up this late," she asked, trying to shift the focus of the conversation to Baileywick rather than her.

Baileywick studied Sofia's face as they exchanged looks before sighing, deciding that pressing her for explanations wouldn't get them anywhere. "Well, it _is_ , technically, already your birthday. I suppose a few minutes wouldn't hurt."

"Thanks, Baileywick," said Sofia as she hugged Baileywick and continued on her way.

"If you aren't back by 1am, I'm personally dragging you into the castle. You should take care of yourself more," shouted Baileywick, hoping Sofia heard him. He sighed again—sometimes, he felt that he gets older quicker with Sofia than when he handled Amber and James at their naughtiest years of childhood.

Sofia would have eventually returned to the castle after a few minutes on her own without Baileywick even reminding her to do so. While it was the main reason, ice skating practice was not the only reason she brought herself to skate right after returning from her secret duties. "What was I thinking, who'd skate this late at night," said Sofia to herself as she crouched and hugged her shins while slowing down to a stop on the ice. She laughed at the silliness of the notion that someone she hadn't met for so long would wait for her in the cold; it wasn't like they promised to meet—she just set an unrealistic expectation. "I've been reading too much of Amber's books."

oOo

"Tie, coat, watch, hair, gift… Okay, I'm ready!" Hugo went through a mental list on just about everything he needed perfect for the day. Hugo was relieved that the people his castle has sent back to him came with a selection of clothes fit for the occasion. He'd be happy with just one set, but his family tend to go overboard. Fortunately, he didn't have to unpack the trunks they sent him; they were a special sort. One could say they were like pop-up books—once the trunk was opened, the hidden mechanisms make the clothes pop up hanged for display as it would be on the other side of a shop's show window. They sent him about 8 trunks in total filled with anything he would be needing to wear from garments to accessories, plus a note. _"Baby Bro, I had Brigham prepare some clothes for you. I say pick the set in navy blue. Darker shades look better on you was what Mother always used to say. Oh, and ease up a bit on the bling would you—I'd pick the silvers over golds, if I were you, by the way."_ His brother might be annoying at times, but there was no doubt he cared—was what Hugo thought until he saw the postscript. _"PS: Man, you had me going there. I really thought it was Sofia's birthday the other day based from how fidgety you were. Don't worry I covered for you, don't worry about work piling up. I'm not doing this for free though, you're spilling all the beans on how you got your new girlfriend. I want all the details; you owe me that much._ Needless to say, a reddened Hugo tore the note to shreds and threw every piece into the fireplace shortly after reading the note. He was still largely thankful, though. He had his things loaded into his carriage right after, thinking that it would be a pain to have them wait to be moved after the party.

Hugo spent the morning once again looking for Sofia. He soon found that it was unlikely he would be meeting her until later that night. Preparations for her big day it seems. Amber personally organised the event—no shock, really, given the scale of things. The servants were like ants scurrying about the castle while carrying all sorts of stuff. His greeting-slash-confession would have to wait. After leaving his present for Sofia back in his room, on the bed, he went exploring to another one of the castle's wings. It was deserted, Hugo observed, but likely just for the day since the place was still kept up and clean. It seemed that literally everyone was busy setting up the party.

He found himself in a cozy study. It wasn't necessarily small per se, but when compared to the castle's libraries, it was relatively tiny. There were two shelves wide enough to almost be of the same width as the room save for the aisles on either side. One shelf was spaced against the back wall and the other was in front of the first shelf. The room also had a coffee table with two chairs, and an upright piano stationed opposite them. Hugo figured he'd burn some time here until lunch, and maybe even return afterwards.

The sound of chattering stopped Hugo while he was skimming through books between the shelves, looking for one that he would like. This part of the castle should be empty right now, and this fact got Hugo curious about whom those voices belonged. He was about to put down the book and go out of the room to identify the voices, but the people he heard were way ahead of him—they entered the room and slammed the door shut. "I'm not sure why we have to be so secretive, King Roland. We're just talking, aren't we?" It was Connor's voice.

"I'm just being cautious. Reputation is important to a king."

Hugo suddenly got the feeling that this was something he wasn't supposed to hear. He put a hand over his mouth in an attempt to silence himself. Hopefully, they wouldn't think to go around the shelf; otherwise, he'd be found. "I'm not spying, this is just a series of very unfortunate coincidences," Hugo thought to himself.

"Now where was I," thought Connor out loud, "Ah, yes, I remember. I'm merely asking for your approval. It may be presumptuous of me to think so, but you dislike me, don't you King Roland. I don't know what I did to deserve to be so disliked by you and Princess Amber, but believe me, my intentions are in the right place."

"This isn't my choice to make. If you're that confident, you don't even need my help."

"I'm not asking you to force her; I'm just asking for a little push in the right direction coming from you, her father. But, even that is just, in a way, insurance. What I really just want from you is your blessing. There's no reason to refuse. I'm a highly accomplished man, I must humbly say. And, think about it: it's a win-win. You would be making me immensely happy, and in exchange, I get to help you right the wrongs you so desperately want to undo. This alliance would make Enchancia whole again, and every bit of the Kingdom would be back to the Royal Family, as it once was. Don't you want to be able to talk to your sister again without feeling the sense of guilt that she took responsibility for your own blunder. Everybody makes mistakes, King Roland, teenage princes just have more to lose—but you can fix yours."

"You're just like your blackmailing father. But I'm not a boy anymore, I won't yield."

"Heavens, you misunderstood me. This does not in the slightest resemble blackmail. This is a negotiation—one heavily in your favour, might I add. I'm sure the late Miss-"

"Don't you dare bring her into this."

"But she already is. She's at the very core of this all—she's one of the reasons why we could have this conversation right now. She was a very nice lady I was told—it's a shame the twins didn't get to know her."

Roland threw a fist at Connor's face, but stopped right before hitting Connor's unblinking eyes. He can't have a castle guest with a black eye. Like it or not, Connor was invited by Sofia.

"Violence isn't becoming of you, King Roland."

"You know, doing this just makes me hate you even more."

"You forced my hand—you're a nosy father."

Roland laughed.

"Is there something funny?"

"You essentially just told me that I know too much."

"Too much? You know a little, allowing me to negotiate with you, but not enough to shoot me down," Connor chuckled, "That information won't do you any good."

"You're full of it, Connor."

"You talk like I'm trying to steal your crown. I'm only after your blessing."

"We both know Enchancia is your end-goal."

"That's just your assumption. You don't have any evidence for it. No matter. There is no doubt in my mind that you will come to your senses soon enough, Father."

"I'm not your father."

"Not yet."

"You're not as charming as you think."

"And you're not my only contingency. When worse comes to worst-" Connor then finished his sentence by raising a vial of a pink substance. "She'd say 'I do.'"

Connor stopped a bit on the way out and added with a soft voice,

King Roland fell seated, defeatedly, on one of the chairs after Connor left. He sat there for the rest of the day, possibly thinking of a solution, or maybe just licking his wounds, who can tell.

Hugo naturally couldn't leave either. He just heard something incredible which is also something that he shouldn't have heard at all. Prince Hugo squatted nervously between the shelves, hoping that King Roland would not spontaneously think of picking up a book from where he was. He couldn't even think—his mind was a mess, maybe even as much as Roland's.

"There you are!" these were sweetest words coming from Baileywick in the ears of Hugo. "We've been looking all over for you. You're late for Sofia's party."

Hugo could hear them on their way out: "Hey Baileywick, keep an eye out for anything Sofia drinks or eats—should what she's drinking or eating be left unattended, replace it immediately."

"Is something wrong, Sire?"

"Double the number of people stationed in the buffet, too. And, make sure that only you and I know about this. As far as everyone else is concerned, I just want more people serving at the buffet tables."

"You suspect an attempt at poisoning?"

"… _I'm just being cautious_ ," he said, more like recalling vocally rather than replying.

Hugo took a deep breath as soon as he was confident that he was alone. He had to calm down first. For now, he just left for the Grand Ballroom, acting like nothing had ever happened.

oOo

"How is your party, Sofia," Amber coyly asked as Sofia was finally able to separate herself from the guests. "Wow, Madame Colette outdid herself this time. Of course, it was under _my_ guidance that she styled you so wonderfully. I daresay you're the prettiest in the world today. I'm close behind, naturally," said Amber as she jokingly added, "But only because it's your birthday—I'm handing you the number one spot for today."

Sofia flung herself at her sister, happy almost to tears with what Amber had made possible for her. Amber's events were always grand, but this one was exceptional even among her largest ones. Sofia's coming-of-age gala took Amber months to plan.

"Sofia, we're going to fall!"

"Oh, sorry," hugging was difficult with what Sofia was wearing, especially with the crinoline underneath her skirt. Sofia was wearing a lavish amethystine ball gown. It hugged her nicely, the princess seams doing its work accentuating her figure. The sweetheart neckline with an off-the-shoulders style, Amber's idea, pushed that accent further. It was elegant yet teasingly sultry. In Amber's words: "What better way to show the world that you aren't a little girl anymore—a fine woman!" The tulle over her skirt was simple, but was intricately textured—but not so that it would make her look gaudy. There was floral pattern from the edge of her skirt, working its way up a bit on one side. Sofia's naturally wavy hair was held up in an updo, which reveal both her ears are with simple diamond stud earrings that go nicely with her amulet. Amber wanted her bracelet replaced or at least off while she was wearing her main gown for the night, but Sofia insisted that she keep it on.

"You look amazing, Sof."

"Can't I have this moment at least for myself, James."

"Guys, there's enough of me to share," giggled Sofia.

"And, you might have said otherwise, but sharing with me wasn't ever a bother for you, right?"

"How could you not know your own sister?" teased Amber.

"Hey, that stings," James laughed.

"I've talked to almost everyone now," said Sofia, "But have you seen Hugo?"

"Picking favourites from your guests, I see."

"It's not like that, Amber," blushed Sofia, "It's just strange that I haven't seen him yet, that's all."

"Relax Sofia, I'm just joking. Hmmm, let's see," said Amber as she looked around. Amber then caught a glimpse of Connor through the crowd, walking towards them. She sighed, "Well, he's not Hugo, but-"

"Princess Sofia, you never fail to set my heart aflutter, you surprised me."

"Hands off," said Amber as she slapped Connor's hand away with her fan, stopping him from kissing Sofia's hand.

"Amber!"

"Can I talk to you for a bit?" she asked Sofia sweetly before turning to Connor and changing her tone, "I won't care if you mind. I'm talking to my sister in private."

Amber pulled her sister a considerable distance from Connor, who was left with James. "For the millionth time. That guy is bad news. I can feel it; and he's creepy, seriously," Amber whispered.

"He's just awkward at times-"

"You mean all the time."

" _At times_. It's okay."

"Just promise me you'll be extra careful around him."

Sofia nodded to appease Amber. "But there's no need to. You'll see," as she went to rejoin James and Connor.

oOo

Now able to think more clearly having already gathered his wits and composed himself, Hugo arrived, a little short of breath, in the Grand Ballroom. He noticed the large room was obscenely quiet for a gala—no music, no anything, just murmurs from the crowd who also seemed surprised at the sudden development. Where everyone was looking was a small group—James, Sofia, Amber, and Connor who was standing on a chair, holding a glass up. He was apparently in the middle of a speech.

"—Which bring us here today. Princess Sofia, it is on this very day, your 18th Birthday, that I, Lord Connor Fulbjorn, hereby profess my insatiable love for you and ask for your hand in marriage. I don't need an immediate reply. It is my wish that you think it over carefully, and hopefully come to the same conclusion that I had—that I am the best man for you. I leave now, allowing you to ponder without the pressure of my presence, but I will return another day, ready to hear your answer. Until we meet again, Princess."

Connor leapt and flipped through the air over the crowd landing just before one of the windows. He blew a kiss and leapt down, causing everyone to rush concerned to the windows, peer through, and witness him landing on his coach. It was a comical sight, really, ridiculous even, but Connor did it with bravado and conviction—and that is what made the moment both serious and compelling. If anyone else had done it, he'd have put himself in unredeemable embarrassment.

Calculations ran in Hugo's head. What were the political implications of refusal? What could Connor do that could disadvantage or potentially ruin Sofia, or the Royal Family, should he be refused? The simplest plan that even an idiot could think of would be to twist the story of his rejection—and gossip like this always sticks like gum on hair. Undoubtedly, Connor is not an idiot, his plan would be more intricate than that. The only way to mess up whatever Connor's plan, without putting the Royal Family and Enchancia deep in scandal and political disarray, was for a third party to enter the equation. It's a variable Connor should not have accounted for. Hugo knew that he was potentially the only one who could do something about it—the King is already dancing on the palm of Connor, and was possibly the only other person who knew about "the real" Connor. By elimination, he was left. He was the man for the job, and he didn't once hesitate about that. He's going to be the Hero, even if his idea meant that he might have to play a villain in the story. Hugo whispered "Happy Birthday" to Sofia from afar and hurried home—he had to start planning and working to set it in motion in time.

* * *

 **AN:** I probably won't be updating soon, so here's a few details about what's coming next. Don't worry, no major spoilers.  
1\. The narrator would follow Sofia more than Hugo in the next chap as opposed to the first two.  
2\. I won't be writing Sofia as some doll being pulled about by the princes. She's definitely not the type. I plan to have her in on the "action."


End file.
